With the 2017 NBA Draft set for Thursday, the pre-draft rumors are circulating and creating quite the buzz. Top picks Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball and Josh Jackson all await the opportunity to hear NBA commissioner Adam Silver call their names, to determine which team they will be taking their talents to.
Lonzo, thanks to some influence from LaVar Ball, has debuted his signature shoes with the Big Baller Brand. The brand has taken off, thanks mostly to both the praise and hate they have received on social media. The free publicity has certainly worked in their favor, as they attempt to create an empire they can call their own.
The success of the brand remains of the shoulders of Ball, as his production can influence other future players to join the Big Baller Brand. Well, it appears that Fultz was actually considering signing with Big Baller Brand, during a recent interview with Kent Babb of the Washington Post:
Williams: You sure you don’t want to sign with them?
Fultz: I was thinking about it, but then I would make him money, though.
Williams: Or lose them more money.
[Babb asks if there was serious consideration for Team Fultz to join Big Baller Brand]Fultz: I don’t know, honestly.
Williams: I don’t think they’ve got money to sign nobody.
Fultz of course went on to sign a multi-year deal with Nike in recent weeks, securing another payday aside from the NBA. The 19-year-old guard was seen wearing Nike apparel during the 2017 NBA Draft Combine, which actually triggered a conversation between he and Nike executives regarding a possible design.
Both Fultz and Ball are hyping up a potential rivalry between themselves, with the Washington guard stating he wants to beat Ball in everything they do. Ball also wasn’t shy in stating his confidence, announcing that he believes he is better than Fultz.
While the Big Baller Brand is off to a nice start, LaVar’s comments can only do so much. Nike, along with Adidas and Under Armour, remain the supreme choice for NBA players. With the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22, both Ball and Fultz must patiently wait a few more days before their fate is unveiled.
Since these three freshmen have declared for the draft, they forgo the restrictions of the NCAA and can now reap the benefits of their amazing talents. The endorsements and sponsorships have already begun for these top prospects, ranging from the top-dollar companies to the family-owned alternative.